DREAM Act would provide aid to illegal immigrants

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas

Published January 21, 2013 at 7:59 PM EST

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Support is building in New York for a "DREAM Act" that would provide financial aid and other assistance to college-bound illegal immigrants in the state.

The proposal is being pushed by Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Now, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Republicans who share control of the state Senate are interested in discussing the bill.

The DREAM Act would provide a way to help poor immigrant families afford college and would create a commission to raise money for scholarships.

The estimated cost of the aid ranges from $17 million to more than $20 million a year.

Momentum is building after the idea withered under Republican pressure in Albany and Washington a year ago.

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Dave Lucas

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.

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